The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1887-10-09
THE TURTLE IN ITS LAIR.
NOW THE BANANA NEGROES HARVEST
TIE CROP ron MEN FORK.

The green turtle OF the metropolitan res.
| taurant when II does not come from the rem
| nents Of the roast veal and fried chicken OF tho
| day before, comes chiefly from the Bahamas
| and from Nassau, the only city OF the bahamas.
They are harvested also in Cuba, Haytl and
| at many points on tho Southern coast. but In
| the Bahama Islands they seem TO find the
| richest feeding grounds, and the turtles Of
| Eleuthera, Cat Island (which Christopher Coz
| lumbus discovered and called San Salvadorl.
| Waiting leland, Rum Cay. Exuma, Andres,
Grand Bahamas, Abaco. and all tho rest Of the
/ Bahama group are famous among epicures
for their turtles. II Ia said that they supply
fully three quarters OF oil the green turtles
that como to tho New York market. The hawk
bill turtle, valuable for it's she'll ID also plcnl-
full In those islands, but 1t Is sent mostly to
England The turtles are caught by vessels
fitted out for the purpose by the Nassau deal
ers and also by the poor inhabitants OF the sew
eral islands as an incidental aid In their strug-
gle for livelihood. These people are a pic-
turesque race, with queer ways OF life. and In
nothing are they moro picturesque than In
their turtle fishing.
Circuit Justice L. d. Powles Of Bahama
Island, whose experience with both the turtles
and tho natives has been ample. telling how
the amiable and luscious beast ID captured In
his neighborhood. says:
"These families who live in tho out islands
and do all the turtle fishing that is not done BY
the strictly business schooners and men from
Nassau, have for a homo u house whose walls
are built Of coral limestone, roughly pnstered
together and rooted with palmetto thatch.
There are probably twelve or fourteen in tho
family. and thoy all live in one little room,
pretty nearly bare Of furniture. Nobody but
papa and mamma rise to the dignity OF n bed
The rest can sleep anywhere. When not
asleep, nearly all their lives are spent out Of
doors. Behind the house is some big tree.
where mother cooks and washes and father
whacks her and the children by turns, UNI
less, as occasionally happens. she is boss,
and does the whacking herself. They
have not much need OF money, for
they can grow oranges. bananas. and other
tropical fruits in plenty, with corn and sweet
potatoes. and fish Is to BIO had for the catching
But the out-islander stands sometimes In need
OF clothes and groceries. which have to be paid
for. AS turtles will either produce cash or its
substitute he occasionally goes OF on tur-
Ting expedition. After days OF postponing
and putting off, he finally pulls himself together.
and of he goes pressing all his family into the
service. There is not much need to close up
the house. for thore are no robbers, and no
probable intruder except the hogs. which don't
count. Still he probably shuts 1t up, for de
look Of do ting" for the darby is very punctil-
ious about certain matters.
Tho turtle beach may be many miles away,
but most likely he has u boat. in which he mum
ages to reach 1t In the course of q few hours.
All the party have bare feet, but otherwise are
dressed much the same as civilized people.
External decency is one Of those matters on
which the Bahamian negro Is most scrupulous:
Arrived at the turtle beach, he puts one OF
the boys in the boat and let's him row along
Wh1 oe the asy &C.
#. whole e 81 HnE as
Perhaps they have the luck to see a monster
green turtle before they have measured half
q monster female turtle Of 500 pounds, laying
her eggs in the hot sand little ahead, the
One, half Of the party make for the water to
iessiy " up and turn her on her baek~a tough
in he hsr bade he Is BIZ oS sos
Of palmetto leaves or tough grass with
ghsn stand found hS and n to Se ee
and making game Of her forlorn condition,
taking s, t. give h her mouth sh wide
Sits in her fms and tic them back tightly to;
the boat and given in charge Of the boy. while
the land contingent start on their road re,
s going On. though. they viii lunch on the esss
their prisoner has left behind her. These eeRs
by TH %e ed. II
have gone bad. and It is only on rare occa-
sions. when turtles IRE caught IN New Provi.
eess Disposed 81 party move. on
saq
1sa sS Is but tRs a S % ss Rs hs
q hp q Them SS
ging Of them In shoai waterNtSat is. strikine
way Is M adopted by Vessels ensaSed II the turtle
6ss It cap ons ns 9 Use sb II the case OF
Besides the q g re turtles and hewkbtls
there is another species called the lubberhead,
which is Of no practical use at al The aesa
OF both the latter species Is considered values
less, but the natives manage to make substan.
tiai meals out OF them oil the same.
is the females only that come ashore for the
asSf' %ss na hs
" nominal while his,usually averages six or
where turtles are stored and fattened; and yet
s and eE as
CURED AtGoyernSrs HarbeE in the Island Of
CdutneId al LuSlstiIlun Mr. freSCOn. mas
established some OF these storage ponds. They
are natural lakes. with slight rise and fall q
the tide, the sea water making It's way with
ease through the porous limestone rocks. Of
which the islands are composed.
The turtles are put In here and left to them-
selves to grow, the only care required being to
throw In a few green leaves occasionally: The
ponds are cooperative. and every turtle before
being put in is marked with its owners
name. When buyer appears. q majority OF
owners must consent before any turtle can ba
sold to him. When their consent has been OBJ
tanned the turtles are scooped out with a net
and tho owners AFRO credited with all those
registered with their marks.
=, There are many ways Of cooking turtles in
the Bahamas, but the favorite plan Is to make
the bulk of the flesh into n Kind OF hash, well
doctored with port and other wines, and then
TO serve IL up In tho shell covered with crust.
80 that It looks like a kind OF meat pie. This
Is called baked turtle" 1t Is very well, but
beside the turtle soup 1t Ia rs nothing. No Al
derman In full possession OF his senses would